Extensible head-rest and control



May 8, 1962 P. s. FLETCHER 3,033,610

EXTENSIBLE HEAD-REST AND CONTROL Filed Dec. 2, 1958 FIG. I.

' JI J7 4 A lo INVENTOR. pins. FLET HQ United States Patent G T 3,033,610 EXTENSIBLE HEAD-REST AND CONTROL Peter S. Fletcher, Delray Beach, Fla, assignor to Anton Lorenz, Boynton Beach, Fla. Filed Dec. 2, 1958, Ser. No. 777,657 Claims. (Cl. 297-61) The present invention relates generally to an improved reclining chair, and in particular to an improved headrest and control arrangement for such reclining chair wherein the head-rest is automatically displaced to an extended position relative to the back-rest in response to movement of the reclining chair.

It is generally known to construct a reclining chair comprising a support and body-supporting means having a back-rest movably mounted on the support such that the back-rest may be moved into various reclined positions under control of the chair occupant. It has been suggested that such reclining chairs incorporate a headrest positioned adjacent the upper end of the back-rest, and preferably stored within the outline of the back-rest, such that the head-rest may be extended or elevated relative to the back-rest to provide a more comfortable and adequate support for the head of the user. With such extensible head-rest, the back-rest may be made somewhat shorter for esthetic reasons, but the user may be comfortably accommodated when moving into various reclined positions by the additional support afiorded by the extended head-rest.

Broadly it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved actuating and control arrangement for elevating the head-rest of a reclining chair relative to the back-rest as a function of the reclining movement of the back-rest.

Two arrangements appear practical for mounting the head-rest generally within the outline of the back-rest for extensile movement relative thereto. In both of these arrangements the head-rest fits within the back top corner of the back-rest, with the head-rest either being completely enclosed except for the top face thereof which is sub stantially coextensive with the top face of the back-rest r 3,933,610 Patented May 8, 1962 means operatively connected to the head-rest and controlled from the body-supporting means for moving the head-rest between retracted and extended positions relative to the back-rest. The control means includes a mounting member connected to the head-rest and normally supporting the head-rest in the retracted position. Guide means are operatively connected between the mounting member and the back-rest and constrain the head-rest to move along a prescribed path from the re tracted position to the extended position, the guide means preferably including a pin on the mounting member guidingly engaged within a slotformed in the back-rest. The guide means is completed by an actuating mechanism, including an actuating link pivotally connected to the support and an actuating and guiding link pivotally mounted on the actuating link and operatively connected to the back-rest and to the mounting member which is effective to move the head-rest from the retracted position to the extended position in response to reclining movement of the body-supporting means.

The above brief description, as well as further objects,

. features and advantages of the present invention will be such that the head-rest extends out of a slot formed at the rear side of the top face of'the back-rest; or with the head-rest partially enclosed except for the rear face of the head-rest which is substantially coextensive with the rear face of the back-rest. Very definite limitations are imposed upon the movement of the head-rest relative'to the back-rest due in part to the physical construction of the back-rest. For example, it is necessary to provide cross braces in the back-rest frame for structural rigidity and for tacking of the upholstery about the back-rest,

These cross braces must be positioned contiguous to the upper end of the back-rest and immediately adjacent the head-rest in the stored position such that the exposed upholstered surface of the back-rest and head-rest appear to be contiguous. This placement of the cross braces neces sarily imposes physical limitations on the movement of the head-rest and its associated mounting linkage.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved head-rest and control which is compatible with the necessary structure of the reclining chair.v Specifically, it is within the contemplation of the present invention to provide a control arrangement for extending the head-rest of a reclining chair, with provision for positively guiding the head-rest for movement along a prescribed path, and with mechanisms which may be readily accommodated within the back-rest.

In accordance with an illustrative embodiment demonstrating features and advantages of the present invention, a reclining chair of the type including a support and bodysupporting means having a back-rest movably mounted on a support is provided with a head-rest and control more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of an'illustrative embodiment demonetrating features of the present invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational View, with parts broken away for clarity, of a reclining chair incorporating my improved head-rest and control arrangement as shown with the head-rest thereof in a retracted position, the dot-dash lines showing a partially extended position forthe headrest; and

FIG. 2 is an elevational view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the reclining chair in a reclined position with the head-rest in the extended position relative to the back- :rest, the dot-dash lines showing an intermediate clearance position for the head-rest.

Referring now specifically to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is shown a reclining chair 10 of generally .known construction which incorporates my improved head-rest and control and comprises a support or chair frame including opposite side walls 12, 14 joined by one or more cross braces 16 and supported above the floor level by depending legs. A body-supporting means including a seat 18 and a back-rest 2!} is movably supported on the chair frame, with the back-rest 20 being pivoted on the chair frame. at the back-rest pivot 22 and with the seat 18 having a rigid hanger which provides a seat pivot which is coaxial with the back-rest pivot 22. As is generally understood identical mounting and coordinating means are employed at opposite sides of the chair.

Positioned below the forward end of the seat 18 is a leg-rest 26 which is mounted for movement from a stored position below the forward end of the seat, as shown in FIG. 1, to an elevated position extending forwardly of the seat, as shown in FIG. 2. Interconnected between the back-rest 20, the seat 18 and the leg-rest 26 is a main controlling and coordinating linkage for inclining the seat 18 and for elevating the leg-rest 26 as a function of and in response to the reclining movement of the back-rest. "The main controlling and coordinating linkage, which is -of generally known construction and is shown merely for :illustrative purposes, is seen to include a depending rigid extension 28 on the back-rest 20; a guiding link 30 having :a pivotal connection 32 at its upper end on the support; :a connecting link 34 having a pivotal connection 36 at its rearward end to the rigid extension 28 of the back-rest :26) and a pivotal connection 38 at its forward end to the guiding link 30; a seat control link 40 disposed in a forwardly and'upwardly inclined position and having a pivzotal connection at its lower end to the guiding link '30 -coaxially with the pivot 38 and a pivotal connection 42 at to the forward end of the seat;'a first connecting link 48 having a pivotal connection 50 at its rearward end to the guiding link 30, a pivotal connection 52 intermediate its ends to the hanger arm 44 and a pivotal connection 54 at its forward end to the upper end of the leg-rest; and a second connecting link 56 having a pivotal connection 58 at its rearward end to the lower end of the hanger arm 44 and a pivotal connection 60 at its forward end to the le rest at a point spaced from the pivotal connection 54.

The coordination of the chair components by the described linkage, which is subject to a latitude of variation and change and is merely illustrative of this type of reclining chair, is substantially as follows:

When the chair occupant leans against the back-rest 20, the back-rest turns about the back-rest pivot 22 and a forward thrust or motion is imparted via the rigid extension 28 to the connecting link 34 which inclines the seat 18 via the seat control link 40 and elevates the leg-rest 26 via the leg-rest mounting and controlling linkage. Thus, the reclining chair may be moved from the normal sitting position illustrated in FIG. 1 to the reclined position illustrated in FIG. 2 wherein the angle between the seat and back-rest increases and the leg-rest is moved to an elevated position forwardly of the seat.

In an illustrative embodiment according to the present invention, a head-rest 62 is disposed in a stored or retracted position between the opposite sides 29a, Ztlb of the back-rest and intermediate the forward and rearward cross braces 26c, 26a. The head-rest is disposed with its upper face 62a substantially coplanar with the upper face of the back-rest 2t) and bridging the slot or opening formed therein and bounded by the opposite sides 20a, 26b and cross braces 26c, 20d of the back-rest 20. The read-rest 62 is mounted by a mounting member or link 64 which extends substantially lengthwise of the back-rest 2i! and has its upper end rigidly connected to the head-rest 62. Guide means including a complex camming means are operatively connected between the mounting member or link 64 and the back-rest 20 to constrain the head-rest 62 to move along a prescribed path from the retract-ed or stored position, illustrated in FIG. 1, to the extended or head-supporting position, illustrated in FIG. 2, with the head-rest 62 moving through a number of intermediate positions, as shown by the dot-dash lines in FIGS. 1 and 2. Preferably the guide means includes a guide plate 66 having an elongated slot 66a formed therein and fixed to the adjacent frame side of the back-rest 20 and a pin 68 carried by the mounting member 64 and guidingly engaged within the slot 66a. The pin and slot interconnection is arranged such that the pin 68 is at the lowermost end of the slot 66a to establish the stored position for the head-rest 62 with its upper face 62a coplanar with the upper face of the back-rest 20. The slot 66a extends substantially lengthwise and upwardly relative to the backrest 20 and is of a length and contour to guide the headrest 62 upwardly into a clearance position relative to the back-rest 20 (e.g. the dot-dash showing in FIG. 2), particularly the cross-braces 20a to 20b thereof, and then further upwardly and forwardly to the head-supporting position illustrated in FIG. 2 wherein the front or supporting surface 62b of the head-rest is properly oriented relative to the adjacent front or supporting surface of the back-rest. The interengaging guide means in the form of the pin and slot interconnection 66, 68 are exceptionally useful for guiding the head-rest 62 in its movement since there is a comparatively narrow space available at the top of the back-rest 20. Accordingly, it is virtually impossible to employ link equivalents for guiding the headrest between the retracted and extended positions illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. In the interests of simplicity in construction, it is preferable to provide the slot or guideway 66a on the back-rest 20, as for example by the plate 66, and to aflix the guiding pin 68 to the mounting member 64. However, it is possible to reverse the pin and slot of the interengaging guide means, for example by forming the slot or comparable guiding surface directly on the mounting link 64 and fixing the guiding pin 68 to the back-rest 26. The interengaging guide arrangement herein will be recognized as a cam and follower and is subject to variation and change as is generally understood by those skilled in the art. It will be appreciated that the pin and slot interconnecting or guiding means enables precise guiding of the head-rest 62, with such guiding means being confined in a comparatively narrow width and being readily adapted to establish many and varied paths of movement for the head-rest 62 during its extension reiative to the back-rest 20. On the other hand, the use of guiding links substantially confines the movement of the head-rest to simple arcuate paths and necessarily requires a greater depth dimension for the back-rest to accommodate such guiding links therein. Thus by the employment of the cam and follower type of guide means, the location of the head-rest 62 relative to the back-rest 26 throughout the extension thereof may be accurately and precisely established, with such guiding action being accomplished in the physically limited environment and in a relatievly simple and inexpensive manner.

An actuating mechanism is operatively connected between the support sides 12, 14, the back-rest 20 and the mounting member 64 which actuating mechanism cooperates with the pin and slot interconnections 66, 68 to complete the guiding for the mounting member 64 and which further achieves the extension of the head-rest 62 in response to reclining movement of the back-rest 20. The actuating mechanism or means includes an actuating link 70, illustrated herein in a somewhat rearwardly inclined position, extending substantially parallel to the mounting member 64 and having a pivotal mount 72 on the side supports 12, 14 at a point spaced rearwardly of and below the coaxial back-rest and seat pivots 22. The actuating mechanism further includes an actuating and guiding link 74 which is pivotally mounted on the actuating link '70 intermediate its ends at the pivot 76-. The pin and slot interconnection 66, 68 and the actuating and guiding link 74 together serve to guide the mounting member 64 and the head-rest 62 along a prescribed course or path determined by the length and contour of the guiding slot 66a and the length and disposition of the actuating and guiding link 74. The actuating or guiding link, which is seen to be in the form of a double-arm lever, includes a first arm 74a extending upwardly and rearwardly from the pivot 76 and a second arm 74b extending downwardly and forwardly from the pivot. The arm 74a has a pivotal connection 78 to the back-rest 20 such that the arm 74a swings through a rearward and descending arc in response to reclining movement of the back-rest 20 about its pivot 22. The arm 74b has a pivotal connection to the lower end of the mounting member 64 such that, in response to turning movement of the double-arm lever about its pivotal mount 76 under control of the back-rest, an upwardly directed thrust is imparted to the mounting member 64 which moves the head-rest 62 along its established path. In use, the actuating link 70 cooperates with the actuating and guiding link 74 to achieve the extension of the head-rest 62 relative to the back-rest, with the links 70, 74 being arranged to amplify the relatively small movement between the back-rest and the support to a larger relative movement between said head-rest and back-rest. The pivotal mount 72 of the actuating link 70 provides a first or stationary control pivot to the support while the pivotal connection 78 to the back-rest provides a second or movable control pivot on the back-rest 20 such that the relative displacement between the pivots 70, 78 achieves the extension of the head-rest 62 relative to the back-rest 20.

In order to facilitate a more thorough understanding of the present invention, a typical sequence of operations will now be described:

When the chair occupant is seated in the chair and leans against the back-rest 26, the back-rest turns through a rearward are about the pivot 22 and is efiective to displace the movable control pivot 73 of the actuating and guiding link 74 about the stationary control pivot or pivotal mount 72 between the actuating link 7t} and the support. This displacement of the movable control pivot is eiiective to rock the actuating and guidinglink 74in a direction such that the arm 74a thereof moves through a rearward and downward arc and the arm 74b thereof moves through an amplified upward arc to impart an upward thrust to the mounting member 64. The upward thrust on the mounting member 64 is effective to move the head-rest 62 along a prescribed course from the retracted position illustrated in FIG. 1 to the extended head-supporting positionillustrated in FIG. 2, with the pin and slot interconnection 66, 68 and the link 74 serving together to guide the head-rest in its extension. At such time as the chair occupant desires to restore the chair to the upright position illustrated in FIG. 1, the occupant leans against the leg-rest which initiates the return of the back-rest to the upright sitting position and the displacement of the movable control pivot 18'with respect to the stationary pivotal mount '72 for restoring the head-rest to its retracted position.

The head-rest guiding and actuating arrangement illustrated herein finds application in various other types of reclining chairs. For example, as illustrated in my copending application Serial No. 777,655 filed concurrently herewith and entitled Improved Rapidly Extensible Head Rest and Control, the control arrangement may be employed in a chair incorporating a rigid seat and back-rest; and as illustrated in my copending application Serial No. 777,656 filed concurrently herewith and entitled Improved Head-Rest and Control for Double Movement and Two Position Types of Chairs, the control arrangement finds useful application in chairs of the double movement type. Still further, the control arrangement may incorporate other features, such as the toggle linkage mechanism and/ or the extension linkage as disclosed and described in said copending applications.

A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention herein.

What I claim is:

1. In a reclining chair including a support, body-supporting means having a back-rest formed with an opening in the upper face thereof, means movably mounting said body-supporting means on said support, a head-rest stored Within said back-rest in a retracted position and being of a section substantially complementary to said opening, and control means operatively connected to said head-rest and controlled from said body-supporting means for moving said head-rest from a retracted position stored within said back-rest through said opening into an extended position relative to said back-rest, said control means including a mounting member connected to said head-rest and normally supporting said head-rest in said retracted position, means operatively connected between said mounting member and said b ack rest for guiding said head-rest to move along a prescribed path from said retracted position through said opening and into said extended position, the guiding means including a complex camming surface on said back-rest and a pin carried by said mounting member and guidingly engaged by said camming surface, and actuating and constraining means operatively connected between said support, said back-rest and said guiding means for moving said head-rest from said retnacted position to said extendedposition in response to movement of said body-supporting means relative to said support, said actuating and constraining means including a doublearm lever, means pivotally mounting said doublearm lever on said support, means pivotally connecting one arm of said lever to said back-rest, and means pivotally connecting the other arm of said lever to said mounting member such that an upward thrust is imparted to said mounting member in response to the turning movement of said lever, said guiding means and said actuating and constraining means cooperating to initially guide said headrest substantially longitudinally of said back-rest from said retracted position through said opening to a clearance position outside of said back-rest and then to guide said head-rest forwardly relative to said back-rest from said clearance position into said extended position and into a prescribed orientation relative to said back-rest.

2. In a reclining chair including a support, body-supporting means having a back-rest formed with an opening in the upper face thereof, means movably mounting said body-supporting means on said support, a head-rest stored within said back-rest in a retracted position and being of a section substantially complementary to said opening, and control means operatively connected to said head-rest and controlled from said body-supporting means for moving said head-rest from a retracted position stored within said back-rest through said opening into an extended position relative to said back-rest, said control means including a mounting member connected to said head-rest and normally supporting said head-rest in said retracted position, means including a cam and follower operatively'connected between said mounting member and said back-rest for guiding said head-rest to move along a prescribed path from said retracted position through said opening and into said extended position, and actuating and constraining means operatively connected between said support, said back-rest and said guiding means for moving said headrest from said retracted position to said extended position in response to movement of said body-supporting means relative to said support, said actuating and constraining means including a first link pivotally mounted on said support, a second link pivotally mounted on said first link at a point intermediate the ends thereof to form a doublearm lever, means pivotally connecting one arm of said lever to said back-rest such that said one arm moves through an arc in response to reclining movement of said back-rest, and means pivotally connecting the other arm of said lever to said mounting member such that an upward thrust is imparted to said mounting member in response to the movement of said one, arm through said .arc, said guiding means and said actuating and constraining means cooperating to initially guide said head-rest from said retracted position through said opening to a clearance position outside of said back-rest and then to guide said head-rest forwardly relative to said back-rest from said clearance position into said extended position and into a prescribed orientation relative to said backrest.

3. In a reclining chair including a support, body-supporting means having a back-rest formed with an opening in the upper face thereof, means movably mounting said body-supporting means on said support, a head-rest stored Within said back-rest in a retracted position and being of a section substantially complementary to said opening, and control means operatively connected to said headrest and controlled from said body-supporting means for moving said head-rest from a retracted position stored within said back-rest through said opening into an extended position relative to said back-rest, said control means including a mounting member connected to said head-rest and normally supporting said head-rest in said retracted position, means operatively connected between said mounting member and said back-rest for guiding said head-rest to move along a prescribed path from said retracted position through said opening and into said extended position, the guiding means including a complex camming surface on said back-rest and a pin carried by said mounting member and guidingly engaged by said cainming surface, and actuating and constraining means operatively connected between said support, said backrest and said guiding means for moving said head-rest from said retracted position to said extended position in response to movement of said body-supporting means relative to said support, said actuating and constraining means including a first link pivotally mounted on said support, a second link pivotally mounted on said first link at a point intermediate the ends thereof to form a double-arm lever, means pivotally connecting one arm of said lever to said back-rest such that said one arm moves through an arc in response to reclining movement of said back-rest, and means pivotally connecting the other arm of said lever to said mounting member such that an upward thrust is imparted to said mounting member in response to the movement of said one arm through said arc, said guiding means and said actuating and constraining means cooperating to initially guide said head-rest from said retracted position through said opening to a clearance position outside of said back-rest and then to guide said head-rest forwardly relative to said back-rest from said clearance position into said extended position and into a prescribed orientation relative to said back-rest.

4. In a reclining chair including a support, bodysupporting means having a back-rest formed with an opening in the upper face thereof, means movably mounting said body-supporting means on said support, a headrest stored Within said back-rest in a retracted position, and control means operatively connected to said headrest and controlled from said body-supporting means for moving said head-rest from a retracted position stored Within said back-rest through said opening into an extended position relative to said back-rest, said control means including a mounting member connected to said head-rest and normally supporting said head-rest in said retracted position, guiding means operatively connected between said mounting member and said back-rest for guiding said head-rest to move along a prescribed path from said retracted position through said opening and into said extended position, said guiding means including a complex camming surface on said back-rest and a pin carried by said mounting member and guidingly engaged by said camming surface, said pin serving as a fulcrum about which said mounting member is capable of turning during movement of said head-rest to said extended position, and actuating and constraining means operatively connected between said support, said back-rest and said guiding means for moving said head-rest from said retracted position to said extended position in response to movement of said body-supporting means relative to said support, said actuating and constraining means including a double-arm lever pivotally mounted on said support, means pivotally connecting one arm of said lever to said back-rest such that said one arm is turned through an arc in response to reclining movement of said back-rest, and means pivotally connecting the other arm of said lever to said mounting member, said other arm of said lever moving relative to said guiding means during an initial portion of the movement of said head-rest out of said retracted position and cooperating with said camming surface to impart a longitudinal displacement to said headrest with relatively no turning movement of said mount- 6 ing member about said pin to extend said head-rest through said opening to an intermediate clearance position relative to said back-rest, said other arm of said lever moving relative to said guiding means during a further portion of the movement of said head-rest and cooperating with said camming surface to impart further longitudinal displacement of said head-rest from said clearance position to said extended position and to turn said mounting member about said pin to move said head-rest forwardly into a prescribed orientation relative to said back-rest in said extended position.

5. In a reclining chair including a support, body-supporting means having a back-rest formed with an opening in the upper face thereof, means movably mounting said body-supporting means on said support, a head-rest stored Within said back-rest in a retracted position and being of a section substantially complementary to said opening, and control means operatively connected to said head-rest and controlled from said body-supporting means for moving said head-rest from a retracted position stored within said back-rest through said opening into an extended position relative to said back-rest, said control means including a mounting member connected to said headrest and normally supporting said head-rest in said retracted position, guiding means operatively connected between said mounting member and said back-rest for guiding said head-rest to move along a prescribed path from said retracted position through said opening and into said extended position, said guiding means including a complex carnming surface on said back-rest and a pin carried by said mounting member and guidingly engaged by said camming surface, said pin serving as a fulcrum about Which said mounting member is capable of turning during movement of said head-rest to said extended position, and actuating and constraining means operatively connected between said support, said back-rest and said guiding means for moving said head-rest from said retracted position to said extended position in response to movement of said body-supporting means relative to said support, said actuating and constraining means including a first link pivotally mounted on said support, a second link pivotally mounted on said first link at a point intermediate 1 the ends thereof to form a double-arm lever, means pivotally connecting one arm of said lever to said backrest such that said one arm is turned through an arc in response to reclining movement of said back-rest, and means pivotally connecting the other arm of said lever to said mounting member, said other arm of said lever moving relative to said guiding means during an initial portion of the movement of said head-rest out of said retracted position and cooperating with said camming surface to impart a longitudinal displacement to said headrest with relatively no turning movement of said mounting member about said pin to extend said head-rest through said opening to an intermediate clearance position relative to said back-rest, said other arm of said lever moving relative to said guiding means during a further portion of the movement of said head-rest and cooperat ing with said camming surface to impart further longitudinal displacement of said head-rest from said clearance position to said extended position and to turn said mounting member about said pin to move said head-rest forwardly into a prescribed orientation relative to said back-rest in said extended position.

References fitted in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,869,619 Petersen et al Jan. 20, 1959 2,884,992 Spound et al May 5, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 789,255 Great Britain Jan. 15, 1958 

